


It's Gonna Be Me

by buckybarnesofthe21stcentury



Category: Marvel, Marvel 616, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Abusive Relationship, Alternate Universe - College/University, Anxious!Reader, Boyband!AU, Café, Creepy Brock Rumlow, Deaf Clint, Ex-boyfriend Brock Rumlow, F/M, Past Abuse, SHIELD U, bucky on bass, lead singer steve, manager clint, sam on vocals and guitar, sassy!reader, sound systems bruce, thor on drums, tony on guitar
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 11:33:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16722567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckybarnesofthe21stcentury/pseuds/buckybarnesofthe21stcentury
Summary: A reboot of an old story I thought I wanted to get rid of but decided to restart.Just when you think you have your life together, a certain man shows up and changes your life forever. (Oh yeah, it's a College!AU/Boyband!AU) Reader works in a coffee shop, the hot boy band The Avengers shows up to film a new music video, and everything changes





	1. The Call

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [It's Gonna Be Me](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13585800) by [buckybarnesofthe21stcentury (orphan_account)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/buckybarnesofthe21stcentury). 



> Reboot of an old story, hope you like it! Kudos and comments are always appreciated, thanks so much for reading!

It was funny, how just when you thought that your life was finally settling down into normalcy, something always came in to shake it back up again. You had just settled back into college life again after returning from winter break, adjusted to living with a roommate again (not that you minded, Natasha was perfect and you two were best friends), and even found a job (thanks to Nat, bless her heart). A good job. Last semester you had a work-study at the university, but that had gone south. You didn’t like to think about the library job. But your new job, working as a barista at The Tower was perfect for you.

Your bosses, Maria Hill and Phil Coulson, were two best friends who had gone into business together. They were incredible, and sort of reminded you of you and Natasha, or at least what you hoped to be. They were super thoughtful, and sometimes let you steal coffee and pastries. And as it turned out, you were a really good barista. Even though you had just been hired to clean and take orders, your secret talent was revealed when one of the other baristas unexpectedly quit and you had to step in. Now, you even created your own specialty drinks, and brought in tips like never before. You had a handle on your life. So of course, something has to change.

The day it all changed seemed just like any other. You had finished your last class for the day, thrown on your uniform, and started a nice short 4 hour shift. You were about half an hour in when you felt your phone buzz with a call, which you of course ignored. There was a huge line of customers, and Natasha was nowhere to be seen. That was your first indication that something was off. Natasha was always on time.

The next sign was how the customers seemed to all trickle off. Normally 4 o’clock was a busy time. Still, you thought nothing of it, just accepting it as a blessing.

You really started to wonder when you ran out of milk. Not because of the milk, but because when you went to the back to get more milk, you checked your phone and saw that Natasha had called you three times, then texted you about seven. Panicky texts, too, which were very out of character. For a second, you debated obeying the third and seventh texts, which screamed “CALL ME!!!!!!!”, but when you popped your head out of the storeroom you saw a short line. Nat would have to wait.

The first customer was one of your regulars, a nice 82-year old man named George. Good tipper, too. And his order was incredibly simple, just a black coffee with one cream on the side (always the left). Not worth the 5-dollar tip he always left you. But you didn’t mind.

The second customer was a man you had never seen before, which wasn’t that unusual in a college town. SHIELD U was a nice-sized university, with about 8,000 students. There would always be people you didn’t know. Still, he looked familiar. Shaggy chestnut hair, brown eyes, somewhat muscular. Maybe he had been in your Intro to Ethics seminar? There has been a lot of people in that class, no way to know for sure.

“Welcome to The Tower! What can I get for you today?” you asked with a smile.

“Hmm,” he mused. “I’m not really sure. I’m new in town, and I’m trying to find a new coffee shop. Could you recommend something?” You smiled. Recommending customers coffee was one of your favorite things to do. You gave him a quick scan, trying to pick up any clues as to what to give him. He grinned at you.

“We have a new dark blend in, with a slight hint of maple. Does that sound like something you’d be interested in? We do all sorts of drinks here too, not just coffee, but I can’t really recommend something without knowing a little more about what you look for in a drink.” He smirked.

“That dark blend sounds great, doll. Could I maybe get your number on the side?” You grimaced. Working at a cafe in a college did run its risks, and you got asked out regularly. It was flattering, but you weren’t really looking for a relationship, having just gotten out of a rough one a few months ago. You were used to this happening, though, so you gave him a smile and your standard line you used in these situations.

“I’m sorry, but that’s not on the menu. Will it just be the coffee then?” A shadow crossed over his face, he clearly wasn’t expecting a no. He was pretty cute, and in another time or place maybe you would have considered his request, but after what you went through with your ex, you were still a bit wary. The man reached into his jacket, and pulled out a rose, handing it to you with a grin.

“This is for you. My name’s Bucky.” You took a deep breath, struggling to compose yourself. Clearly, this guy was used to getting girls, and while he did have a certain amount of charm, you still were only interested in doing your job, and he was hampering your ability to do it.

“Ok, I’ll call you when your order is ready, Bucky. That’ll be 3.50, and I’m afraid roses aren’t a valid currency here.” Hopefully with that he would give up and allow you to do your job. A line was beginning to form behind him, and you were beginning to get a bit irritated. He held his hands up in submission.

“Alright doll, I see how it is,” he said, shrugging and turning away. You allowed yourself a quiet sigh of relief, only to groan when he quickly spun back around. “How about a deal? I’ll give you that 3.50, but only after you let me sing you a song. Who knows, it might change your mind about that number, huh?” Tossing the rose at you, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a microphone. (How big were this guy’s pockets, anyway? What else did he have in there? And most importantly, what the hell was he doing? Was this planned?)

You did a quick scan of the cafe, only to have your heart drop when you saw 4 other boys pulling out microphones or instruments of some sort. This guy was really going for it. And whether it was the result of a dumb drunk bet or a publicity stunt, you were going to put a stop to it. There was no way you were going to become this week’s viral video, and you could already see people taking out their phones to film. Panicking, you grabbed the microphone out of Pretty Boy Bucky’s hand just as he began to croon.

“Girl, I know you’re the… Hey!” The beginnings of drum beats and guitar strums ground to a halt. You were shaking slightly now. People were definitely filming you now. This was bad.

“I’m very sorry, but if you want to perform here, we have open mic night and you need to sign up for that. You can speak to the manager if you’re interested. If you aren’t buying anything, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” You took a deep breath, but as you forced yourself to stand still, you spotted a cameraman recording you. It was too much. You needed to get out of there.

Fortunately, you were able to remain calm for the few seconds it took to get to the back, but it was very close. You slid into the office, where Phil sat, filing documents. You clasped your hands together.

“I’m very sorry Phil, but I need to take a quick break. And have you seen Natasha?” Phil looked up and smiled at you.

“Of course you can, my star barista! Perfect timing, I was beginning to get very sick of filing. Take as long as you need. But not too-too long.” He waved his hand. “Oh, you know what I mean! Go get some fresh air, kid.”

You collapsed on the back doorstep, mind trying to process what exactly went down in there. What was that guy doing? Why was he even doing it, to you of all people? And most importantly, why did he look so familiar? If you could figure out where you knew him from, you could figure everything else out. Just as you were puzzling over who the man could be, you saw Natasha sprinting up to you.

“Y/N, thank god I found you! Did you get my texts? Why didn’t you call me?”

“Whoa, Natasha. Slow down! I was at work, we were kinda busy, of course I didn’t call you! Where were you is the real question? She sighed.

“Oh god, Y/N. Well at least I found you before 5. I have very important info, you missed something big at the staff meeting last night and I can’t believe I forgot to tell you. This is huge stuff.” You cut her off.

“Yeah Nat, something really weird just happened to me. This guy tried to ask me out and he gave me a rose and he tried to sing me a song and I told him to sign up for open mic and I’m kinda freaked out and Phil is running the counter and you weren’t there and I’m really stressed out right now so can it maybe wait a second?” You looked up at Natasha, expecting sympathy, but her face was contorted in horror. “Wait, what’s wrong.”

“They came early. Oh my god, they came early, and you didn’t know, and you told them to sign up for OPEN MIC?”

“Wait, what? Who? You knew about this, and you didn’t tell me?” Natasha put her hand over your mouth.

“Shut up. Shut up right now and listen to me. Those boys in there? Those are THE AVENGERS. You know, the famous boy band? And they want to film their new music video in our cafe last minute, we just found out last night because a show got cancelled and they’re here early, an hour early and you didn’t know, oh my god.” Suddenly, you felt really dizzy. This couldn’t be happening. You had told the Avengers to sign up for open mic night at your tiny, college-town cafe.

Just as your synapses conveyed this impossible information to you, you blacked out.


	2. Just Want You To Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a bit short, but I am still editing some of my old work. I will have more up as soon as I can!

When you came to, Phil and Natasha were leaning over you, talking worriedly.

“So you told her, and she just passed out like that?” asked Phil.

“I still don’t get why the Avengers showed up so early. They were supposed to be here at 5!” Phil smiled and shook his head, as he was wont to do.

“Well, you know those boy bands. Always off schedule, always doing something they never expect to do. Perhaps we ought to be happy it was only an hour.” You blinked up at them, signaling that you had awakened. “Oh, look! She’s up! You bounce back quickly, my dear.” You shook your head, and stood up, feeling a bit wobbly.

“So that wasn’t a bad dream,” you stated, still slightly in shock. “This is my life now. Ok. Damage assessment: did any customers see me? Wait, is there any video?” Natasha put up her hand to quiet you down.

“So, good news, bad news. No customers saw you, except for a few extras they pulled in off the street. They closed off the outside of the restaurant before the stunt so they wouldn’t get mobbed with fans. But you are on video. It turns out they came early so they could surprise us and get more of a realistic reaction for their video. Not a super cool move, but they did it. Boy bands, I guess.” Phil patted your back.

“I’m really sorry you didn’t know. You weren’t even supposed to be involved. I know you’re not a fan of these whole “social media stunts”, and neither am I, but truth be told, this is going to be really good for the cafe.” Phil said.

You closed your eyes again, trying to block out what was going on. Maybe if you pretend that this wasn’t happening, some miracle of god would return you to your bed and you could live a peaceful life. You weren’t to fall into the “I’m not like other girls” trap, but what you were experiencing, every girl’s dream, was your personal nightmare. Going viral, being pushed through the news cycles for a week until they find something else, all while undergoing abuse from jealous fangirls? Not your idea of a good time. 

Worst of all, it might bring back your ex. Brock Rumlow. You two had started dating when you had just started college. You were young, and naive, and Brock was a junior on the wrestling team, and he knew all the right things to do and say, and you fell right into his arms. He was the perfect boyfriend for a few months, but when winter term ended and you went home for break, he got possessive. Calling and texting 24/7, trying to make sure you weren’t talking to any other boys, but you thought it was all normal. It was only after he told you to stop hanging out with Natasha that you got suspicious, and after “The Night”, it was over. 

He came home drunk after a night with his wrestling buddies, drunk and angry. He had just been suspended from the team after he bombed his econ final (you had tried to help him study, but he wanted none of it). And of course he had to take it out on someone. He was always angry, Brock, but tonight was different. 

You still couldn’t remember what exactly it was you had said that had set him off. You didn’t quite want to. Thinking about it, it had gone over somewhat like today. Only you hadn't passed out in shock, you had passed out after he hit you. 

There hadn’t been friends when you had woken up. Just you on the couch with a tender face and a note, “Sorry-” scrawled on it. 

Afterward, Natasha had helped you get back on your feet, and you hadn’t seen Brock since. He didn’t have the courage to face you. Last you heard, he had transferred to SHIELD’s rival school, HYDRA. But something like this? Brock might come back, try to worm his way back into your life. He had always wanted to be famous. You had to settle this. Just go in, ask them to delete the footage, and find a new job and move to another country and change your name and leave this life behind forever. 

“So, what do you want to do?” asked Natasha. “Because if I were you, I’d go in there and give them a strong talking to, then snatch the camera out of their hands, maybe smash it on the ground? Take back the power.” Your eyes widened, but you chuckled.

“As tempting as that is, I would also be liable for that camera, and who knows how expensive it would be. I’m not rich.”

“But you could be! New idea! Just think of how much money would could possibly spin this into! This could be good, we could pay off our student loans! Just pick your favorite genre of guy, and we’ll invent a fake romance that will get us media attention, which we will then spin into sweet, sweet cash,” Natasha suggested. You rolled your eyes.

“Don’t think I didn’t hear that “we” you snuck in there, Nat. You seem pretty into what this could bring you for a girl who calls herself my best friend,” you countered. “And what do you mean by “genre of guy”?” 

“You know, the way they build a boy band. Literally every boy band member falls into one of these tropes, it’s very reliable. Well, sometimes it’s not perfect but normally you get a bad boy, a boy next door, a dreamboat, a joker, and the glue who holds the whole band together. Glue doesn’t have to fit a trope so much. But almost every boy band has these. So. Pick your type.” This was such a Natasha move. Move immediately to violence or milk the situation for all it’s worth. You were so lucky to have her on your side.

“If I had to pick one, I guess I’d say…”

“Let me stop you right there,” a man cut in, suddenly revealing his presence from behind the door. Had he been listening to your conversation? He held out his hand. “Clint Barton. Resident deaf guy, ping-pong champion, and manager to those goons inside. Keep your hands to yourself and your lips clear so I can read them, and we’re gonna get along great. So, I’ll cut to the chase. What we pulled in there was not cool, so I’d like to apologize. My assistant Harley decided that it would be a fantasic idea to surprise some random cafe worker for a “cute reacion”. Don’t worry, he’s been talked to. We’ve also deleted the footage, and if you want, we can leave and pretend this never happened. We’ll compensate you, your coworkers, and the cafe for your trouble, and this can be written off as a weird story for everyone involved. Or. Hear me out. We shoot a whole new video centered on you. You can play the whole “hard to get” thing you did back there, just whatever feels right, and we turn it into a music video for this new single we want to drop, this song about this unattainable girl who this guy loves but can’t get with. We hook you up with some of the profits, the cafe will explode with business, and maybe you can spin this into a gig. That’s option number 2. Or option number 3, we film the original video we wanted to shoot in here, just a cute chat over coffee with the boys answering fan questions, they love that, compensate you all, and clear out of here. Not to worry, no footage of this unfortunate incendent will exist if you don’t want it to. We want you to be comfortable here. But truth be told, I really hope you go with option 2. You and Bucky worked really well together, and this kind of “found talent” story always goes over really well with the press, and well, we could use some good press right now. Take as long as you need to think it over. Well, I can give you 20 minutes. Whatever you choose is fine. We all just want you to feel comfortable.” With that, the manager, Clint? Stepped back inside, leaving you, Phil, and Natasha sitting on the back step. 

“Phil, could you please give us a minute,” you asked quitely, mind spinning. He nodded and hopped back inside, closing the door almost completely. You looked over at Natasha.

“Oh my god, Y/N! This is incredible, better than I could hav ever dreamed! You have to be in the music video!” You shook your head, slowly.

“I don’t know, Natasha. This seems kind of risky for me. Wouldn’t I get a ton of hate? And what about, you know… him?” Natasha paused for a second, clearly weighing her words.

“I don’t want to push you to do anything that you’re uncomfortable with. That’s not what friends do. But, I also think this is the sort of opportunity that only comes along once in a lifetime. You would have a lot of fun, make a bunch of money, and I’m sure that that Clint guy would work to make you feel as comfortable as possible. And I don’t think you’d get hate. I think you’d get the opposite of it. A random girl chosen to star in a music video, fans can imagine it was them, or think it could happen to them. You’d be inspiring! It’s not like you’d be dating one of them anyway.”

“True.” You stood up and opened the door. “Thank you. I think I’ve made up my mind.” You paused for a second, just to torture Natasha. “I’ll do the video.”


End file.
